Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts started its annual India mission at Hotel Sea Princess in Mumbai. Around 14 hotels are participating at the roadshow from destinations like Sri Lanka, Oman, Doha, Malaysia, Singapore, etc. After Mumbai, the delegation will then travel to Delhi and Kolkata, and eventually conclude in Bengaluru. Shangri-La is also promoting its recently opened Shangri-La Colombo and a new programme ‘Buds by Shangri-La’ focusing on children and families, which was launched at Shangri-La Singapore. Speaking at the roadshow, Vivek Braganza, Director of Business Development- India, Regional Liaison Office, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts said, “We plan to target MiCE, leisure and luxury travellers and would like to thank all our partners across the cities. We look to grow exponentially this year as we have in the past. India continues to be an important market for Shangri-La. We will be following this show with another activity targeted at the MiCE and wedding segment, set to take place in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore in September.”

SOTC has curated two products both for outbound as well as the domestic Indian traveller- Great Rail Journeys & Self Drive Holidays. To capture high potential leisure markets for the outbound Indian traveller, SOTC has launched Great Rail Journeys in collaboration with “Great Rail Journeys” UK’s leading operator with over 40 years of experience in arranging holidays by rail. This enables the travellers to discover the best of the world through travelling on iconic trains across entire continents such as Europe, Asia and Americas. The Great Rail Journey Holiday package from SOTC offers personalized travel through fully ushered rail tours that provide authentic experiences delivered with complete seamlessness. Each itinerary involves travel on special trains indigenous to the region. From ultra-modern trains to iconic heritage lines, SOTC believes that traditional rail travel will give travellers the most memorable aspects of their global adventures. Self-drive holidaying, as a travel product and a trend, is becoming progressively more popular amongst Indian travellers. To tap into this segment SOTC has launched Self-Drive holiday packages for the domestic market in India. SOTC provides self-drive car rental on a set itinerary combining with choicest hotel stays on stay & breakfast basis. The itinerary has suggestions for tourists, which they can follow if they wish to. These packages offer great value for money and convenience for customers. With a fixed package, all hotel and car arrangements are taken care of, plus complimentary road maps and a detailed route itinerary. The unique product offerings ensure a comfortable and hassle-free journey on wheels, for families, couples and ad hoc groups of friends. Speaking about the exclusive product offerings Amod Thatte, Head Product, Contracting & Innovation, SOTC Travel said, …

Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group announces its rebranding to Radisson Hotel Group, effective immediately, at the International Hotel Investment Forum (IHIF) in Berlin. The new go-to-market name, Radisson Hotel Group, capitalizes on a strong partnership between Radisson Hospitality, Inc. (formerly Carlson Hotels, Inc.) and Rezidor Hotel Group AB (publicly listed on Nasdaq Stockholm, Sweden and headquartered in Brussels, Belgium) who has master franchise agreements to develop and operate several brands across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Currently, the 11th largest hotel group in the world, Radisson Hotel Group is made up of eight hotel brands with more than 1,400 hotels in operation and under development. The launch of the group’s new identity is a significant milestone in a five-year operating plan that will transform the business and position it to become the preferred choice for guests, owners, investors and talent. “Today is the start of an exciting era for the Radisson Hotel Group, united by our new brand and long-term vision to become a top three hospitality company in the world,” said Federico J. González, President & CEO, the Rezidor Hotel Group and Chairman of the Global Steering Committee, Radisson Hotel Group. “Our five-year operating plan includes initiatives that redefine our value proposition, optimize our portfolio, streamline operations, invest in new technology systems and align our team members to deliver on our signature, Every Moment Matters. ‘Every moment Matters’ is about how we do business at the Radisson Hotel Group and who we are at the core – a place of purposeful encounters. For everyone. Everyday. Everywhere. Every time. Our rebranding is just the beginning.”

Sriperumbudur-Oragadam, Chennai’s upcoming industrial and automobile belt, saw the opening of its first international hotel – Mercure Chennai Sriperumbudur. This marks AccorHotels’ sixth property in Chennai and seventh in Tamil Nadu. Mercure Chennai Sriperumbudur features 100 guest rooms, including six suites. The hotel is located 45-minute drive from Chennai International Airport and an hour’s drive from the historic monuments and beaches of Mahabalipuram. Neeraj Govil, Chief Executive, SMP Management Group said, “We have a long standing association with Chennai and hence, it was quite logical for us to commence our association with AccorHotels from Chennai. We are privileged to partner with AccorHotels in bringing Mercure, the first international brand to the new and fast-growing industrial corridor of Oragadam.” “It is a proud moment for us to announce our first Mercure in Sriperumbudur. The opening of the hotel marks yet another milestone for AccorHotels’ expansion and growing brand presence in the country,” said Jean-Michel Cassé, Chief Operating Officer, India & South Asia, AccorHotels. “Chennai is an important market for us as it enjoys the unique positioning of being a business hub with a rich cultural heritage. The launch of this hotel has made us the largest hotel operator in Chennai with six hotels and a combined inventory of more than 950 rooms. We are well represented in the Tamil Nadu market with brands like Novotel, Mercure and ibis.” said Cassé.

Charting out expansion plans to connect more Tier-II and III cities, AirAsia India has set a target to commence flights to overseas destinations by January 2019, according to Amar Abrol, Managing Director and CEO, AirAsia India. The airline inducted its 16th aircraft and announced the addition of Nagpur and Indore to its list of destinations. “Our strategy is that once we get to 20 planes (operating in domestic operations) we will start flying international. Mostly, it will be to South East Asian countries,” Abrol shared. Stating that 27 per cent of the people who fly with AirAsia were flying for the first time ever, he said, “So, we are opening up Indian skies. And we are getting lot many more Indians to fly for the first time.” The plan is to connect more and more Tier-II and III cities in India, wherever A320 can go and also start flying international after crossing 20 aircraft, he said. Source: PTI

The Republic of Uzbekistan has introduced a simplified procedure for issuing tourist visas for citizens of 39 countries including India. Citizens of these countries now should not submit tourist voucher or invitation letter to receive visa. Consular offices of Uzbekistan will issue visas for citizens of these countries within two working days. Travellers from India no longer have to show LOI (letter of invitation) but simply apply for a visa at the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Delhi. From July 2018 onwards, tourists can apply for visas online (E-visa) and collect it on arrival.

French President Emmanuel Macron hosted the signing of an agreement between the French Ministry of Culture, represented by Minister Francoise Nyssen and the French Heritage Foundation (Fondation du Patrimoine) represented by its president, Guillaume Poitrinal, relative to the use of government funds that will be generated by a new lottery known as the Heritage Lotto. Signatories also included Stéphane Bern (popular history & heritage Radio and TV show host) and Stéphane Pallez, CEO of ‘Française des Jeux,’ France’s national lottery authority. In the next three years or more, the drawing of the Heritage Lotto will take place during the European Heritage Days and proceeds will go to the French Heritage Foundation and will be earmarked for the restoration of architectural treasures throughout France. The inaugural drawing will be on September 14, 2018 one day before the European Heritage Days (Journées Européennes du Patrimoine) to be held September 14 and 15, 2018. A scratch-off game will also be offered. Last September, the French President enlisted Stephane Bern’s assistance in identifying and listing France’s imperiled architectural heritage and help find novel ways to finance their restoration. One of these solutions was to create a new lottery, which was voted into law on December 28, 2017. The French National Lottery estimates that the Heritage lotto will raise between 15 and 20 million Euros. Additional funding managed by the French Heritage Foundation will include corporate sponsoring and crowd funding. Stephane Bern will head the committee that will select among the 1800 restoration projects inventoried by the French Heritage Foundation and by the French Ministry of Culture that will receive financial aid from the special fund. Applications for funding are taken online by the Ministry …

ExploreGB 2018, the two-day flagship event which brings together Britain’s travel trade with international buyers from key inbound markets, kicked off at Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle on March 1. ExploreGB brings together 310 suppliers and 287 hosted buyers along with 16 international media from 40 countries. From India, 23 buyers are participating at the event. Delivering the welcome address, Carol Dray, Commercial Director, VisitBritain, talked about Newcastle Gateshead being a modern city with a fantastic art scene and some first-class conference facilities. The year 2017 has seen great growth numbers from long haul markets for Britain with the growth being driven by holiday visitors, while business visits have seen a decline of -4 per cent.

The much-awaited revamped ‘Incredible India’ website, which was announced on World Tourism Day on September 27, 2017, is likely to be launched in the next three weeks, revealed Meenakshi Sharma, Additional Director-General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. “We have launched a beta-version of the website recently for trial and are awaiting suggestions. Once that is done, we will be replacing the current website with the new one. The new website is more dynamic and interactive. Also, we will be updating the website after every two months and showcase a new theme.”

The Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) has announced their biennial election, which will be held at The Ashok, New Delhi on April 28, 2018. Akshay Kumar, Vice Chairman, Federation of Associations of Indian Tourism and Hospitality will preside over the election as returning officer. Kumar had conducted the elections in 2016 as well, when the current team was elected. The protocols and nominations for the elections shall start in one week.